


Memento

by flexdimension



Series: Reincarnated Into A Tragedy-free Life [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, M/M, Memories of Past Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:01:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21527149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flexdimension/pseuds/flexdimension
Summary: Seto deserves to have one and Atem wants to give him one.
Relationships: Kaiba Seto/Yami Yuugi | Atem
Series: Reincarnated Into A Tragedy-free Life [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1551544
Kudos: 8





	Memento

**Author's Note:**

> Is it too late for a Kaiba Seto birthday fic? Eh, Happy Belated Birthday anyway, Seto. ♡ May you continue to be best Yugioh character.
> 
> This is a part of reincarnation series I'm working on, but you don't need to know anything except they're 11 or 12 with rich parents. 
> 
> Atem's mom name I made up and is a variation of her made-up (also mine) Ancient Egyptian name.

Soft dust motes sparkled in the sun’s rays; the brightening sun light dazzled through the windows. Smells of cooked breakfast wafted through the house. The stove sizzling away and the soft humming of the matriarch served as the backdrop to the early morning. 

_creak creak_

Atem wiggled his behind into the squeaking chair.

“Stop squirming, sweetie. It won’t make the mailman come any faster.” His mom’s eyes didn’t need to stray from their watchful gaze from the food to know he was pouting.

She heard a huff and peace to her ear drums…

_creak creak_

Kehepiri sighed. No helping it, she supposed. Today _is_ a special day for him. “How about helping me with the table? I’ll even let you choose your father’s coffee,” she said, checking her pancake. Flipped it onto the growing stack and another one pooled anew.

With a half-hearted affirmative, the chair screeched backwards and a patter of feet headed towards the cabinet. “Do you think he’ll like it?” 

She couldn’t help but smile at the indirect confession of his anxiousness. “Of course he will. He’s a smart boy and cares for you greatly.” _You could give him anything and he’d be happy._ She kept that last part to herself; last thing her son needed was more uncertainty. 

As he shuffled, she took a peek. A sappy smile contrasted the way his shoulders and back straightened; the truth in her words had infused him with strength. She turned back to the food; Atem would be fine once he saw the item. 

That she was sure of. She hadn’t been a mother in two lifetimes to not gain some wisdom.

In no time, Atem placed the plates, utensils and glasses onto the table. Khepri flipped the last pancake onto the stack and poured their drinks. Her son wobbled to the table, the plate of pancake stack in tow; she balanced the remaining breakfast plates on her arms. “Now where is your father?”

“‘ere,” came a mumble from the hallway. Akhenamkhanen shuffled in, yawning, tie messy.

“Good morning, Father!”

“Good morning, Atem. You’re cheerful this morning,” he said, sitting down. He gulped down his coffee with a thoughtful face before side-eyeing Atem with a pleased grin. “Looks like someone got ahold of the espresso machine this morning.”

Atem grinned back. Kehepiri faux-sighed. “Isn’t it too early for sweet stuff?”

“Never,” both males responded.

Kehepiri and Akhenamkhanen watched as their son bounced his way through breakfast, his expression full of excitement and impatience. Normally, it would be unusual, more so early in the morning. Akhenamkhanen rubbed his beard, “Today must be the day with how energetic you are.” Said with such confidence that he assumed nothing else.

Atem opened his mouth to reply when the noise of the doorbell resounded through the home. In an instant he was off like a jet, sole focus on the front door. Kehepiri dashed after him. “Don’t open the door until I’ve checked who it is, Desher!”

Skidding to a halt, Atem laid one hand on the doorknob and gave his mama an impatient stare as she finally, _finally_ made to the door, taking her time checking the camera. The screen revealed a hatted person in whites and lines of purple: the mailman.

The easy smile told him everything he needed.

Without waiting for verbal confirmation, Atem jerked open the door, ignoring his mama’s warning look and huff. “Good morning, beautiful suns~” the mailman greeted, smile bright.

She rolled her eyes, but they and her smile were fond. “Good morning, you flatterer.” 

“Good morning,” Atem greeted, his eyes focused on the small brown box in the mailman’s clutches. _I want it! Gimme!_ He resisted snatching it in eagerness. 

The mailman noticed, an effortless endeavor considering the heat of his stare, and bent down thrusting the box out. “A package for you, little sun. I made sure to take good care of it.”

Atem’s red eyes sparkled, and he latched onto it. “Thank you, Zuka!” He smiled wide and bright, causing Zuka to swoon. He then left his mama and Zuka to chat, racing back into the living room. His father still at the table, sipping his cup of coffee while scrolling through his news screen.

Quick to tear it open, he tossed the packing box —and excess plastic along with it— off to the side, the dark wooden box inside clasped in his hands. He opened it and his whole face lit up, brighter than the morning sun. _It’s perfect!_

* * *

Seto eyed his best friend, suspicious. Te-te, the boy who zombie’d walked to school without his help, was _skipping_. Light whistles replaced chatter — until they met up with their friends. Te-te… A child bouncing and hyperactive, all normal. But, not with _Te-te_. 

Heart on his sleeve wasn’t Atem’s style.

Yet obvious to anyone _something_ excited had him. And Seto knew that meant trouble.

He’ll figure it out. He had an idea, but needed a stronger hand. With how much Atem was showing, it should be easy. He took a bored glance at the board (elementary math, yawn) before settling into Atem Watching mode.

—*—

It wasn’t easy at all. 

What the hell.

How, Seto didn’t know, but despite how out in the open his emotions seemed to be, Atem kept mum on the details. The other boy had sent him one too many smirks that raised his hackles. Indirect questions and subtle probing deflected with too-innocent looks, deceiving answers, and cute affectionate gestures.

 _He always could bluff well, damn him._ Here they were, heading to his house after school, holding hands swinging, and he was no closer to the answer than he had been this morning. Sure, it may be simple happiness, but Seto recognized the difference between a happy Atem, an excited Atem, and a scheming Atem. Unlike everyone else, he knew Atem better than himself, the best in all things Atem.

Atem was up to Something and he was 99.9% sure it involved him. 

It wasn’t until they were in his room, ramunes and cookies dropped off by his way too amused mother (suspicious!), that he let the question drop. “What are you so excited about?”

Red eyes peeked up then back down to his drink. Rather than respond, he scooted closer to Seto’s side until their bodies pressed against each other. Seto wasn’t complaining at the extra warmth and the pleasant way their bodies slotted together. But, that didn’t mean he would let it go. “Te-te?”

This time, Atem’s eyes remained on his when they came up. “Today’s your birthday, Seto…” He trailed off. Seto nodded, having already deduced that. If Atem was using his full name… Seto focused all his attention onto him. Atem’s eyes didn’t falter, his hand snaking into his pocket. He fisted it around the object inside as he continued.

“Even though it’s early and we don’t really remember much, I wanted to do this while I still could.” 

Seto tilted his head, blinking in confusion. His attempt to respond thwarted when Atem’s tanned hand came out containing a rectangle shaped present, shining silver with blue eyes white dragons (hngh, cute…!) and a blue bow on it. He held it out. 

Sapphire stared at ruby for a moment before flickering down to stare at the present. He didn’t care for presents, never had, but when it came to Atem… well, everything was different. That’s his most annoying aspect.

Regardless, he didn’t hesitate to grab it, turning towards the table to peel away the wrapping with careful, gentle fingers. The top was a smooth dark wood, his pale skin a striking contrast; the box heavy in his hand. Expensive, too much so for kids their age. He took a glance at the boy by his side, his face looked patient yet Seto saw the undercurrent of nervousness. Could feel it in the tension of his body pressed against him. He opened the box, hinge making a quiet snap.

Seto felt himself go cold then hot, frozen and slacked jaw, fingertips white, eyes wide as they stared on the object inside. Gulped past his suddenly tight throat. His eyes started to blur and shake and burn, but he refused to blink. Even then he saw the object clear as day, it burning into his retinas.

Atem’s voice quiet compared to the rushing in his ears when he spoke. “I know it was Mokuba who gave you one last time. And that I may be overstepping my bounds. But… But, I wanted to give you something just as special. Later, you can add pictures of Mokuba too! I know it’s copying and silly and you’d think I’m being jealous—”

“Nonsense,” came Seto’s gruff voice. Shaking fingers picked up the smooth black string, pulling it out of its containment of dark navy and velvet lining. On the end dangled a pure sliver locket, thick with a big blue eyes white dragon inscribed into the front facing metal, curled as if protecting what’s inside. As it swung from gravity, Seto pushed the box away with a quiet skitter to reach up and grasp the cool metal.

When his fingertips grazed the back, feeling slight groves, he turned it over. On the back, show off a chibi blue eyes and a kuriboh cuddling together, content in being near each other, the silver etching shiny against the duller silver of the locket. Seto let out a gasp that sounded closer to a sob.

A thumb twitched near the latch, as if afraid to open it and reveal inside. But, he wasn’t one to back down. Not from anything. Coward didn’t exist in his vocabulary. His thumb clicked the button.

Twin frames raised from the locket, each having a slot for fitting in a small picture. The left bare, empty.

The right…

 _That_ contained a photo of him and Atem at the festival a few years ago. They held a giant plush of Kuriboh and Blue Eyes White Dragon, respectively, that they won for each other after a long battle to determine who was the best at carnival games. Atem’s large smile and happy crimson eyes above BEWD’s head relaxed him as much as it made his breath hitch. His own smile, smaller but no less bright, above the furry body of Kuriboh made him shiver.

He winded it twice around his head, the locket’s lengthy string allowing it to rest in the middle of his chest. Seto turned towards Atem, nervous and hopeful aura contrasting his silence, arms wrapping him in a tight hug, pulling him into his lap. Atem moved in, nuzzling Seto’s chest with a happy smile and his own hug, muscles going pliant as he melted. Silky hair rested against his cheek, a few tears escaped as he closed eyes without his permission. The cold metal warmed between them.

“It’s perfect.”

**Author's Note:**

> First time doing pure fluff, feel free to let me know how it reads. I always appreciate all comments, even concrit.


End file.
